No asymptomatic patients to be admitted, PMC orders hospitals

Naval Kishore Ram, district collector and president, district disaster management, issued the order to private hospitals on Friday.

Amidst an increase in Covid-19 positive cases and the shortage of beds in the city hospitals the district administration, on Friday, demanded private hospitals to direct asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic patients to home quarantine.

Pune Municipal Corporation workers cleaning and setting up beds at Fergusson College boys’ hostel to convert it in 300-bed Covid facility centre. (Ravindra Joshi/HT PHOTO)

Naval Kishore Ram, district collector and president, district disaster management, issued the order to private hospitals on Friday.

Ram said, “Private hospitals should counsel asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic Covid-19 patients and send them for home quarantine.”

“If the patients are not willing for home quarantine and insist to get themselves admitted, the hospitals should inform the administration who will direct them to a municipal corporation-run Covid care centre,” said Ram.

“We have formed a vigilance team to keep a check on private hospitals. If they are found flouting the rule strict action will be taken against them under Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897,” said Ram.

A PMC official said, “PMC has enough vacant beds at its Covid care centres, but patients are rushing to private hospitals after they test positive for the Sars-Cov-2 virus due to fear.”

“Asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic patients have to isolate themselves, they do not require help from medical staff or medical equipment. These facilities are available in the temporary Covid care centres erected by the civic body,” said the official.

”This will help the civic body to provide beds for critical patients at private hospitals,” said the official.

According to the PMC, at least 2,000 asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic patients have preferred home isolation.